U.S. patent application number 09/845700 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-17 for system for conducting electronic surveys.
Invention is credited to Brookler, Brent D., Levin, Brian E., Loos, Peter A..
Application Number | 20020007303 09/845700 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22744111 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020007303 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brookler, Brent D. ; et
al. |
January 17, 2002 |
System for conducting electronic surveys
Abstract
A system for simultaneous surveying and data collection from
multiple types of electronic communication devices. The invention
provides an apparatus and process for (1) creating a survey, (2)
simultaneously publishing the survey to respondents via a plurality
of types of electronic communications devices, and (3) making the
results of the survey available to the creator of the survey via
communications devices of the creator's choice.
Inventors: |
Brookler, Brent D.;
(Seattle, WA) ; Levin, Brian E.; (Seattle, WA)
; Loos, Peter A.; (Seabeck, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John F. Letchford
Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg, & Ellers
260 South Broad Street
Philadelphia
PA
19102
US
|
Family ID: |
22744111 |
Appl. No.: |
09/845700 |
Filed: |
April 30, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60201011 |
May 1, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/7.32 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0203 20130101;
G06Q 30/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/10 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A process for conducting an electronic survey, said process
comprising the steps of: creating an electronic survey; sending
said survey to a plurality of users having different types of
electronic interface devices; and accessing user data generated in
response to said survey using at least one type of electronic
interface device.
2. The process of claim 1 further comprising accessing said user
data using plurality of types of electronic interface devices.
3. The process of claim 1 further comprising storing said survey on
a first database and receiving said user data on a second
database.
4. The process of claim 3 further comprising analyzing said user
data prior to said step of accessing.
5. The process of claim 4 wherein said step of analyzing comprises
analyzing said user data in accordance with criteria established by
a creator of said survey.
6. A process for conducting an electronic survey, said process
comprising the steps of: (a) creating a survey by writing the
survey materials and placing the survey materials into a first
database as survey input data; (b) wrapping each element of said
survey input data with markup language tags defined in a schema to
provide a collection of data in a markup language-wrapped document;
(c) publishing said markup language-wrapped document, wherein said
survey input data are in the form of a collection of markup
language-wrapped data, by parsing said markup language-wrapped data
against said schema; (d) sending the parsed, markup
language-wrapped data in output defined style sheets to a plurality
of types of interface devices via suitable communications networks;
(e) receiving survey response data in a second database via
suitable communications networks; (f) publishing the received data
by wrapping the received data in a desired markup language
document.
7. The process of claim 6 further comprising accessing said
received data using at least one type of electronic interface
device.
8. The process of claim 6 further comprising accessing said user
data using plurality of types of electronic interface devices.
9. The process of claim 6 wherein said step of accessing is
performed by a creator of said survey.
10. The process of claim 6 further comprising analyzing the
received data prior to publishing the received data.
11. The process of claim 6 wherein said markup language-wrapped
data are further validated against a predefined schema.
12. The process of claim 6 wherein said received data is further
parsed against a second schema to enable the analyzed data to be
accessed by at least one interface device type specified by a
creator of the survey.
13. The process of claim 6 wherein said markup language is
extensible markup language.
14. Apparatus for conducting an electronic survey, said apparatus
comprising: a first database for storing an electronic survey
comprised of survey input data; a publishing engine for sending
said survey to a plurality of users having different types of
electronic interface devices via suitable communications networks;
and a second database for receiving survey response data from said
electronic interface devices via suitable communications networks,
wherein said publishing engine further publishes said survey
response data for access by at least one type of electronic
interface device.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means for
analyzing said response data prior to publishing by said publishing
engine.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said analyzing means analyzes
said user data in accordance with criteria established by a creator
of said survey.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein, prior to sending said survey
to a plurality of users, said publishing engine wraps each element
of said survey input data with markup language tags defined in a
schema to provide a collection of data in a markup language-wrapped
document.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein, prior to publishing said
survey response data, said publishing engine wraps each element of
said survey response data with markup language tags defined in a
schema to provide a collection of data in a markup language-wrapped
document.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said markup language is
extensible markup language.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said markup language is
extensible markup language.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/201,011, filed May 1, 2000.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates in general to a system
including apparatus and methods for conducting surveys and, more
particularly, to an electronic survey conducting system
simultaneously operable on many kinds of electronic communications
devices, including wireless devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Surveying public opinion and thoughts has been done for a
long period of time. Generally, the techniques for soliciting
opinions have improved with improving technology, starting with
paper and mail and progressing to telephone surveys and
solicitations. Currently, the proliferation of communications media
and devices has greatly expanded the opportunities and ways by
which to survey targeted groups for their opinions and thoughts.
For example, even exclusively within the context of Internet
surveying, there are multiple means by which users or respondents
communicate with the Internet and can respond to Internet surveys.
However, as presently conducted, Internet surveys are
device-specific. That is, they are designed to be carried out using
only a single one of several classes of Internet-compatible
communications devices, e.g., a personal computer (PC) or a
wireless device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or
cellular telephone (cell phone). This limits the scope of the
survey to only one means of connectivity to a particular network.
This may be problematic for a potential survey respondent who
possesses only one type of communications device or who possesses
more than one type of communications device but, because of
preference, habit or necessity, tends to use one type of device
more frequently, oftentimes considerably more frequently, than the
others. Under these circumstances, such a potential respondent may
not be captured within the pool of respondents whose input may be
of importance to the survey administrator. This reduces the number
of potential respondents that may be incorporated into the survey
which, in turn, reduces the reliability of the survey results.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system including
methods and apparatus for conducting a survey with respondents
having multiple means of connectivity to a particular network,
whereby the respondents may participate in the survey regardless of
the means by which they choose to connect to the network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention provides a system including methods
and apparatus for simultaneous surveying and data collection from
multiple types of electronic communication devices. The invention
provides a process for (1) creating a survey, (2) simultaneously
publishing the survey to respondents via a plurality of types of
electronic communications devices, and (3) making the results of
the survey available to the creator of the survey via
communications devices of the creator's choice. More particularly,
the process comprises
[0005] (a) creating a survey by writing the survey materials and
placing the survey materials into a first database as survey input
data;
[0006] (b) wrapping each element of survey input data with desired
markup language tags defined in a schema to provide a collection of
data in a markup language-wrapped document;
[0007] (c) publishing the markup language-wrapped document parsed
using the survey input data, wherein the survey input data are in
the form of a collection of markup language-wrapped data, by
parsing the markup language-wrapped data against the schema;
[0008] (d) sending the parsed, markup language-wrapped data in
output defined style sheets to a plurality of types of interface
devices via suitable communications networks;
[0009] (e) receiving survey response data in a second database via
suitable communications networks; and
[0010] (f) analyzing and publishing the retrieved data by wrapping
the retrieved data in a desired markup language text.
[0011] Preferably, the markup language-wrapped data are further
validated against a pre-defined schema. Additionally, the analyzed
data is preferably further parsed against a second schema to enable
the analyzed data to be accessed by at least one interface device
type specified by a creator of the survey.
[0012] The invention further includes a survey publishing system
for simultaneous surveying and data collection from multiple
interface device types. The publishing system enables a party to
create a survey and publish the survey to potential survey
respondents having multiple interface device types. Additionally,
the publishing system gathers and analyzes the survey results and
makes the results available to the survey creator in one or more
formats compatible with interface device types of the survey
creator's choosing.
[0013] The survey publishing system comprises a survey input
database into which the survey creator inputs and stores all
relevant information associated with particular survey (including,
without limitation, the question(s) to be answered by the
respondents, the types of interface devices the surveyor chooses to
receive the survey, and the time or numerical response limits of
the survey). The system further comprises a publishing engine for
transmitting the surveys stored in the survey input database in the
desired formats to the desired interface devices. Upon receipt of
the surveys, the respondents answer the questions posed therein and
transmit their responses to a survey results database and analysis
engine of the survey publishing system. From the survey results
database and analysis engine, the analyzed survey results are sent
to the publishing engine where they may be retrieved by the
surveyors using the interface devices of their choice.
[0014] According to the present invention, therefore, surveyors can
create surveys that can simultaneously reach multiple types of
interface devices; respondents using a variety of interface devices
may participate in a survey; and, surveyors receive more complete
and meaningful survey information than heretofore available using
conventional single device surveys.
[0015] Other details, objects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent as the following description of the
presently preferred embodiments and presently preferred methods of
practicing the invention proceeds.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The invention will become more readily apparent from the
following description of preferred embodiments shown, by way of
example only, in the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a symbolic diagram of the essential components of
the survey publishing system according to the present invention and
the overall process enabled by the system;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the process by which a
surveyor creates a survey;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the process by which the
survey is published to the respondents who will participate in the
survey;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the process by which the
survey is implemented and the data is collected from the
respondents;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing the data analysis process used
to analyze the data collected as shown in FIG. 4; and
[0022] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing the process by which the results
of the survey are published to the party who originally requested
the survey.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings
set forth below.
[0024] Schema is a document that defines tags.
[0025] Tags are definitions or titles of data specific for a
particular user/surveyor agent.
[0026] Parser Engine parses data according to tags defined in the
schema.
[0027] Style Sheet is an output specification corresponding to the
display parameters of an output or interface device.
[0028] Referring to the drawings, wherein like or similar
references designate like or similar elements throughout the
several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 the overall system
according to the invention, including apparatus and process, for
creating and publishing electronic surveys and for collecting and
analyzing data generated by the surveys. In FIG. 1 the survey
creators or surveyors are depicted on the left side and the users,
or survey respondents, on the right side. The overall process is
generally represented as follows:
[0029] Step 1: Survey Creation: The surveyor creates a survey using
a survey publishing system which is generally indicated by
reference numeral 10. During this step, the surveyor determines,
inter alia, the type of survey, the number of respondents desired
(or, alternatively, the time limit of survey), and desired
interface device types on which to publish the survey on (PC, PDA,
cell phone, etc.). Also, as will be more readily appreciated by
reference to FIG. 2 and its corresponding description, it is at
this stage the survey questions are created by the surveyor. The
survey information, including the questions, is stored in dedicated
database tables in a survey input database 12, where it can be
accessed for later use.
[0030] Step 2: Survey Publishing: This step involves taking the
initial survey data (questions, types, formats) and publishing them
via suitable communications networks (wired or wireless) to various
types of user/respondent computing or interface devices. Since
there are many different device types, i.e., cell phone, PDA, PC,
as well as future devices, that may be capable of implementing the
present survey system, the formatting must be different for each
type of device. As described hereinafter, a publishing engine 14 of
survey publishing system 10 will determine which type of respondent
interface device (e.g., cell phone 16, PDA 18 or PC 20) is making a
request to respond to a survey. Thereafter, publishing engine 12
will publish the survey over to interface device 16, 18 or 20 over
an appropriate communications network (wired or wireless) in the
appropriate format for that device.
[0031] Step 3: Survey Implementation/Data Collection: At this step,
the user responds to the survey questions. The response data is
transmitted by the survey respondent over the communications
network and is collected at a survey results database and analysis
engine 22 of survey publishing system 10. This data includes not
only the responses to the survey questions, but user data, such as
interface device type, and session information, such as length of
survey, time of day, and so on.
[0032] Step 4: Data Analysis: Once the response data is collected
from a respondent's device, the unprocessed survey data is stored
in "raw data" database tables of the survey results database.
Statistical analysis is then performed on the raw data by the data
analysis engine using stored procedures. The type of analysis is
specified by the surveyor and analyzed or processed data results
are stored in dedicated "analyzed data" database tables.
[0033] Step 5: Analyzed Data Publishing and Reporting: Once the
data has been analyzed in accordance with parameters prescribed by
the surveyor, reports and results are published by publishing
engine 14. As specified by the surveyor, publishing engine 14 makes
the survey results and reports available for access by the surveyor
via one or more interface devices (e.g., cell phone 16, PDA 18 or
PC 20). The survey results may be "pushed" by the survey publishing
system server to the surveyor in the manner known in the art.
Alternatively, and preferably, the survey results and reports may
passively reside on the survey publishing system server where they
may be "pulled" or retrieved by the surveyor. In the latter case,
survey publishing system 10 may be programmed to notify the
surveyor via electronic mail message or otherwise that the survey
results are available for access. It will be understood that
publishing engine 14 will publish different levels and depth of
data according to the interface device specified by the surveyor to
receive the data, e.g., a cell phone will only get high level
reports, whereas a PC will receive detailed analysis.
[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates the survey creation process. This process
preferably occurs in a secure administration environment, such as a
password protected web site, where the surveyor can access all of
its pertinent information, and build surveys to be presented to
users. The survey creation process is outlined below.
[0035] Initially, at step 24, the surveyor logs in to the
administration center's secure website, enters the appropriate user
and password information to gain access to the survey publishing
system 10 and, upon gaining such access, selects "Create Survey" at
step 26. Thereafter, the surveyor determines all the variable
factors of the survey. The variable factors include:
[0036] Name of survey (step 28)--quite simply, the title of the
survey that can be used by both the surveyor and the respondents to
refer to the survey.
[0037] Description of survey (step 28)--information provided by the
surveyor for the purpose of describing the survey in a text
field.
[0038] Number of respondents desired (step 30)--at this step, the
surveyor selects how many survey responses it wants to limit the
survey to. The surveyor may also select the option of "no
limit."
[0039] Time limit (step 30)--the surveyor selects an ending
date/time for the poll.
[0040] Priority: time or number of responses (step 30)--the
surveyor chooses which should take priority, the time limit of the
survey or the number of responses.
[0041] Type of devices desired (step 32)--the surveyor selects what
kinds of interface devices they want to be able to respond to the
survey. This will determine how and on which devices the poll will
be published, e.g., cell phone, PDA, PC, as well as future
devices.
[0042] Survey Introduction (step 34)--this enables the surveyor to
input a narrative introduction to the survey including information
such as the purpose of the survey and the sorts of information that
the surveyor is seeking to collect. The survey introduction appears
as text area that users will see on their interface devices when
they begin to take the survey.
[0043] Survey Incentive/Call to Action (step 36)--at this point, if
desired, the surveyor can create an incentive for a user who
responds to the survey. It may be in the form of a text field to be
entered by the client and can be presented as a discount, offer, or
a uniform resource locator (URL) or hyperlink that can serve as a
call to action.
[0044] Write question (step 38)--this is a text area that enables
the surveyor to enter a question to be posed to the user.
[0045] Choose response type (step 40)--this step allows the
surveyor to select the type of responses for the question, e.g.,
Yes/No, True/false, single selections, multiple selections, text
boxes, numerical rating, numerical, Agree/Disagree scale, and so
on.
[0046] Enter number of responses (step 42)--if the chosen response
type is not Yes/No or True/False, then the surveyor will specify
how many responses to choose from for that question.
[0047] Label responses (step 44)--this is a text area that enables
the surveyor to provide descriptive text for the different
responses based on the different question types.
[0048] Require response from user? (step 46)--this step enables the
surveyor to specify whether a response to a particular question is
mandatory.
[0049] Final question? (step 48)--if there are more questions to be
created, the surveyor returns to write question step 38 and repeats
steps 38-46). If there are no more questions to be added to the
survey, the surveyor so indicates and the survey creation process
terminates at step 50.
[0050] FIG. 3 illustrates the process of publishing the survey
created according to FIG. 2. Upon completion of creation of a
survey, the survey parameters are stored in dedicated database
tables in survey input database 12. Publishing engine 14 thereafter
publishes or "pushes" the survey in the appropriate formats to the
interface device types targeted for the survey. To do so, survey
publishing system 10 employs a markup language translation layer 52
that wraps each element of survey input data with markup tags
defined in a schema to provide a collection of data in a markup
language-wrapped document. The markup language translation layer 52
preferably utilizes a plurality of markup language technologies in
order to leverage the survey data to multiple types of interface
devices. According to a presently preferred embodiment, markup
language translation layer 52 utilizes extensible markup language
(XML), standard query language (SQL) and dynamic page creation
technologies such as JAVA and PERL to achieve the desired
objectives. It will be understood that markup language translation
layer 52 may include any combination of the foregoing alone or in
combination with one or more of hypertext markup language (HTML),
wireless markup language (WML), user interface markup language
(UIML) or other form of presently existing or yet to be developed
standard generalized markup language (SGML) that may be used to
realize the objectives of the present invention. Most preferably,
the markup language translation layer 52 is preferably readily
programmable or configurable to accommodate any markup languages
that may be required to push survey data in survey input database
12 in formats appropriate to all presently known and hereinafter
developed interface devices.
[0051] According to a presently preferred embodiment, data
collected during the survey building or creation process is stored
in the survey input database 12 and translated to XML for optimal
portability vis-a-vis presently available interface devices. Using
publishing engine 14, the surveyor may opt to publish the survey
immediately after creation and simultaneously to all types of
devices. In the alternative, the surveyor may choose to delay the
launch of the survey or stagger the times at which the survey
information is published to the various interface devices selected
for participation in the survey. By way of example, publishing
engine 14 may at present be configured to publish to cell phones
using the wireless application protocol (WAP) (which incorporates
WML), short messaging service (SMS) using the global system for
mobile communication (GSM) or VoiceXML. Likewise, publishing engine
may also publish to computer browsers via HTML and to Palm.RTM.
devices or other PDAs using PalmOS or other suitable PDA operating
systems (or SMS) depending on where the surveyor wishes the poll to
be published.
[0052] Preferably, with one data set, all Internet appliances or
interface devices are deployed ubiquitously. The following is a
brief discussion of the formats having the broadest compatibility
with presently available interface device technology.
[0053] WAP
[0054] WAP is primarily WML and WML script, but many different cell
phones (User Agents) require slight modifications to the WAP
standard. Preferably, markup language translation layer 52 includes
a database of User Agents and their respective differences versus
standard WAP. The present inventors have discovered that by using
XML, customized style sheets may be created for each User Agent to
ensure that all devices will work as designed.
[0055] HTML
[0056] For publishing to HTML, it is preferable to use HTML 3.2 to
allow some retroactive compatibility with older versions of web
browsers. In any event, HTML surveys should be 100% compliant with
Netscape Navigator.RTM. 4.0 and later and Microsoft Internet
Explorer.RTM. 4.0 and later, which presently account for more than
90% of the browser market.
[0057] PalmOS
[0058] For PalmOS, publishing engine 14 should be capable of
publish using the current Palm-compatible formats including Web
Clipping and Palm Query Application (PQA). Using XML or other SGML,
it would preferable to create versions of PDA operating systems
that are compatible with Palm.RTM. and other PDAs.
[0059] Once pushed to the desired interface devices, the formatted
surveys reside as customized surveys 54 on the various devices. The
respondents may then participate in the surveys and transmit their
respondent data over the appropriate communication networks (wired
or wireless) to the survey results database and analysis engine
22.
[0060] FIG. 4 illustrates the process by which respondents reply to
the survey. The process begins when the user, at step 56, directs
his or her interface device to a URL associated with the stored
survey. Data is collected in three distinct data streams during the
survey implementation/data collection process--user profile, user
session, and user response. To verify a particular device type, at
step 58 data identifying the responding device is transmitted to
the publishing engine 14. At the publishing engine, the device type
is compared, at step 60, against a database table for acceptable
device types. If the device is not found to be valid, an error
message is displayed, at step 62, on the user's device at which
point the user may again to participate in the survey at step
56.
[0061] If the user's device is determined to be valid, the survey
begins. Initially, at step 64, the survey title and description are
displayed, followed at step 66 by the first survey question 66. At
step 68 the user responds to the first question and the response
and user data is transmitted, at step 70, to the survey results and
analysis engine 22. The survey questions and user responses thereto
continue to be generated in turn until the final question is
displayed and responded to at step 72. At this point, the system
logic checks, at step 74, to determine whether the surveyor has not
specified an incentive/call to action to motivate the user to
respond to the survey. If not, the survey ends at step 76, and the
user is optionally redirected to the application that the user was
using, if any, prior participating in the survey. If so, the
incentive/call to action is displayed at step 78 and the survey is
terminated at step 80. Again, the user may be optionally redirected
to the application that the user was using, if any, prior
participating in the survey.
[0062] Session data is preferably gathered for each user that
visits the survey, whether they personalize a user profile or not.
Session data desirably includes login time, click stream, time
spent on each question, and logout time. Anonymous user profiles
are preferably created for each new visit to the survey, unless the
user establishes a personalized profile and logs into the survey
with a password. All profiles are recorded as a unique numeric
value and are used to correlate session data with unique visits.
Personalized profiles can contain a variety of additional personal
information including e-mail/device address, zip code, age, gender
and/or other relevant information.
[0063] User responses to the survey questions are collected and
recorded with the unique numeric value of the user profile
(anonymous or personalized) to allow for the correlation of user
session, profile, and response data. The process of collecting the
data from the user is represented in FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0064] FIG. 5 illustrates the process by which the data collected
from survey respondents is analyzed. The data analysis process is
essential for providing value to the surveyors creating the polls
in that it offers them real time top level results and detailed
analysis and reporting.
[0065] Using data compression to speed analysis and delivery of
results to publishing engine 14 ensures real time results. The
completed user survey is transmitted to the publishing engine 14 in
a user session stream 84, a user profile stream 86 and a user
response stream 88. These data streams are compiled in a data
staging process 90. At this point the analysis engine 22 analyzes
the data in accordance with reporting requirements established by
the surveyor. The analysis engine 22 may analyze the response data
in accordance with any criteria chosen by the surveyor, for
example, survey responses by question, totals responses, respondent
session time and click stream, responses and responses by
demographic, and respondents by recency, frequency and monetary
(discussed below). Depending on the device used to view published
results, additional drill-down and drill-through requests are
supported using common key elements in survey data analysis
repositories 92 and 94, discussed below. The functions of the data
staging process 88, analysis engine 22 and survey data repositories
92,94 are as follows.
[0066] Data Staging Process
[0067] As the data is received from the three data streams 84, 86
and 88, it is immediately consumed by the data staging process 90.
The data staging process 90 cleanses, compresses, and prioritizes
the data received to ensure efficient processing by the analysis
engine 22.
[0068] Analysis Engine
[0069] Surveyor reporting requirements, which are established
during survey creation, are applied to the data received from the
data staging process 90. Recognizing the priority of each piece of
data, the analysis engine 22 produces new dimensions and updates
existing dimensions as required, thereby producing detail and
aggregate (summary) data streams to the survey data analysis
repositories 92 and 94, respectively.
[0070] Data Repositories
[0071] Survey data analysis detail and aggregate repositories 92,94
are inextricably linked through session, profile, and response
data. Strong validation combined with indexing and performance
tuning provides a reliable and efficient data store to be used by
the publishing engine 14.
[0072] FIG. 6 illustrates the process by which the results of a
survey are reported to the surveyor who requested them. The
analyzed data that results from the surveys will be transmitted to
the surveyor's administration area, where surveys are created. The
process is similar to the publishing of created surveys to users,
except the information is published to the surveyor's
administration area of publishing engine 14. The process is
outlined below.
[0073] The data contained in data repositories 92,94 is converted
by a markup language translation layer 96 similar in content and
function to markup language translation layer 52 discussed above.
That is, markup language translation layer 96 wraps each element of
survey response data with markup tags defined in a schema to
provide a collection of data in a markup language-wrapped document.
Standard and/or customized reports 98 prescribed by the surveyor
may be provided to the surveyor in WAP, HTML, PalmOS, SMS, VoiceXML
or other formats and style sheets suitable to the surveyor's
specified interface device(s), whether presently existing or
hereinafter developed. Standard reports may include one or more of
the following: total number of respondents to survey, percentage of
answers by question, average percentage of questions answered,
average session length, average time to respond to each answer,
total number of respondents who responded to call to action, and
total number of call to actions served.
[0074] Each of the reports will may also be sorted by date/time, by
RFM (R=Recency--how recently did the profile (user) visit;
F=Frequency--how frequently has the profile visited;
M=Monetary--how much in total has the profile spent with the
surveyor and/or provided benefit to the surveyor), as well as by
gender, gender by age group, age group, home zip code, location
(cell), and device type used to respond to the survey.
[0075] Although the following generally sets forth the overall
survey conducting process of the present invention as it would be
conducted using an XML format, it is contemplated that the present
invention may be used in conjunction with any presently known
markup language formats currently known or developed in the future.
More particularly, the process comprises
[0076] (a) creating a survey by writing the survey materials and
placing the survey materials into a first database as survey input
data;
[0077] (b) wrapping each element of survey input data with desired
markup language tags (e.g., XML tags) defined in a schema to
provide a collection of data in a markup language-wrapped (e.g.,
XML-wrapped) document;
[0078] (c) publishing the markup language (e.g., XML) wrapped
document, wherein the survey input data are in the form of a
collection of markup language-wrapped (e.g., XML-wrapped) data, by
parsing the markup language-wrapped (e.g., XML-wrapped) data
against the schema;
[0079] (d) sending the parsed, markup language-wrapped (e.g.,
XML-wrapped) data in output defined style sheets to a plurality of
types of interface devices via suitable communications
networks;
[0080] (e) receiving survey response data in a second database via
suitable communications networks;
[0081] (f) analyzing the received data; and
[0082] (g) publishing the received data by wrapping the received
data in a desired markup language (e.g., an XML) document.
[0083] Preferably, the markup language-wrapped data are further
validated against a pre-defined schema. Additionally, the analyzed
data is preferably further parsed against a second schema to enable
the analyzed data to be accessed by at least one interface device
type specified by a creator of the survey.
[0084] Although the invention has been described in detail for the
purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is
solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by
those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention as claimed herein.
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